Swapping J Top for J top

[V25C]

A 1995, 2.8 TD auto has come up for sale near me at a reasonable price. I'm thinking of buying it and changing over from my 1991, 3.0 V6 manual. I like the concept of the J tops (Ive owned the current one for the last 4 years) but dislike the current fuel economy average of 13.9l per 100km (7.2km to a litre) over the last 50,000 k's. Also the manual shifts badly with the cold Canberra mornings around here for the first 30 km's. How much better would the economy be with a 2.8TD?

[cookie monster]

my lwb nl 2.8td manual averages between 11.5 & 12.5 ltr/100 around town.
about 13.5 to 14.5 on the hwy and about the same off roading.
it has a snorkal, unifilter, manual hubs and all oils are synthetic. i think all that lot makes a small difference, but not much.
also has 265/75/16 tires, which may hinder fuel economy a bit ?
im very happy with the economy for a lwb. would think the swb would be a bit better, but then it is an auto, which usually are heavier on fuel.
cookie monster

[V25C]

Thanks Cookie. I may be trading up to a DiD instead.

[j-top]

I have a 1993 2.5 ITD J-Top and average between 9-11l/100km in melbourne traffic.

[PHIL]

I have three J-top questions for you guys, if you could indulge me to slightly later the direction of this thread:

1. Do they really come with 18" rims? Are they hard to find tires for, and what size ar they?

2. Does the softtop extend over the two front seats as well, or just in the back area, with a hard roof over the front seats?

3. With the soft top down, is there a roll bar in the back, or is it open, is there a frame behind the softop...?

Obviously we never got em here, but they could be on my list if I take the plunge to import one...

PHIL

[J Top]

Hi Phil
they are on 18" rims, the tyres are 215/85R18 which is arround 32".
They are hard to find and expensive in NZ. They only seemed to come here as used imports from Japan on the 18s.
There is an electric opening vinyl sunroof over the front seats. The front area is all hard top.
There is a body mounted roll frame in the rear which carries the seat belts for the rear seats. It moulds into the front roof area. I don't wish to trust my life to it.
J Top

ps This is all GEN II, I can't comment on the GEN I

[PHIL]

Hi Phil
they are on 18" rims, the tyres are 215/85R18 which is arround 32".
They are hard to find and expensive in NZ. They only seemed to come here as used imports from Japan on the 18s.
There is an electric opening vinyl sunroof over the front seats. The front area is all hard top.
There is a body mounted roll frame in the rear which carries the seat belts for the rear seats. It moulds into the front roof area. I don't wish to trust my life to it.
J Top

ps This is all GEN II, I can't comment on the GEN I

Thanks J...I am talking GenII so you're speaking my language... I did a search for that tire size, and came up with ONLY Yokohama... and that wasn't in North America!

Is there room on the brakes to put a 15 or 16 inch wheel, or are the rotors too well-endowed?

Thanks for the other answers. I'm trying to figure whether I should include a J-top in my Jap-GenII searches (if it comes to that)...

[J Top]

The common tyre to fit is a 33/12.5R15.
They are low spec, having wind up windows, no clock, vinyl floor coverings etc, which is perfect for off road.
The Tops seem to shrink, at least in NZ where our ultra violet is quite high.
They generally work ok when they arrive but in a short time the stitching is pulling and the vinyl is going hard.
I intend to plate over my sunroof as the overhaing bush tears it.
The back will eventually be cut off to make a truck cab, less body work to worry about and lose the troublesome soft top.
J Top